Connecticut Football Club are proud to have been announced as one of the founding members of the Boys ECNL Northeast Conference!

The conference will kick-off competition in the 2017-2018 season in a ground-breaking moment for boys’ soccer across the country as a qualifying conference for the ENPL. Founded to improve the daily environment for boys youth soccer players through a holistic and collaborative club-based development program, the Boys ECNL will feature regular season conference competition and regular season cross-conference events for its member clubs.

Full Announcement below:

The initial members of the Boys ECNL Northeast Conference include many of the top boys programs across the region:

The Northeast Conference will feature competition in 5 age groups: U14, U15, U16, U17, and U18/19. Teams will be placed in geographical divisions, playing approximately 14-16 conference games, with an additional 3-6 games in cross-conference regular season events depending on age group. Scheduling will allow for players to participate in high school soccer, and clubs will be empowered to play the style and system of play they deem best for their players.

“Match Fit Academy is extremely excited for the launch of the Boys ECNL. Having been a member club of the Girls ECNL for the last 4 years we have experienced first-hand the immense value for our players. The league structure, leadership, member clubs & marketability provide a platform for players to develop while aiming to achieve at the collegiate levels and beyond. We know these values will now be afforded to our boys program and we are proud to be one of the member clubs for the inaugural season.”– Chris Leahey, Match Fit Academy Executive Director

“With the tremendous success the ECNL has had with women’s soccer in the US, we’re delighted to give our boys the same opportunity. Playing in such a great league will benefit our club in a very positive way.”– Todd Plourde, Connecticut FC Director of Coaching

“We are tremendously excited to be part of this new venture. We think you get extraordinary performances from players when you have extraordinary expectations. Having a great training environment is one part but having competitive games against top clubs every week is the ultimate process for our players. The Boys ECNL will be a fantastic avenue for our players and we look forward to making it a league where training, high level games and college age exposure is of paramount importance.”– Paul Riley, Albertson Fury Director of Coaching

“FC Boston Bolts are delighted to accept an offer to play in the Boys ECNL in 2017/18. The platform is perfect and aligns with our philosophy, allowing our teams to play regionally and nationally against quality competition on a weekly basis. Our players will get fantastic exposure to college coaches playing in ECNL through the league and showcases provided.”– Brian Ainscough, FC Boston Bolts Executive Director

“East Meadow SC is privileged to be included as a member of the Boys ECNL program. This is a fantastic achievement for our membership and coaching staff who have remained committed to our club synergy model and culture. We are excited to further our long standing relationship with the ECNL and US Club Soccer as they continue to develop fantastic pathways and platforms for elite player development throughout the country.”– Ruairi McGuinness, East Meadow SC Director of Coaching

“We are excited that the boys in our club will now get to participate on the same platform as our girls. The structure and professionalism exhibited by the ECNL has taken girls’ club soccer to unprecedented heights. We fully expect the Boys ECNL to have the same impact.”– Mick D’Arcy, FSA FC Director of Coaching

“FC Stars are excited to be a founding member of the Boys ECNL for the 2017-2018 seasons. The leadership, organizational structure and most importantly the playing platform provided through local, regional and national competition is something that we are looking forward to and matches our own clubs philosophy.”– Alec Cruikshank, FC Stars of Mass Boys Director of Coaching

“Maryland United is very excited to be one of the founding members of the Boys ECNL. The national platform, leadership and structure of the league supports our vision and development goals as a club. This announcement changes the landscape of boys’ soccer in the United States.”– Colin Herriot, Maryland United Boys Director of Coaching

“Baltimore Celtic is tremendously excited to be joining the Boys ECNL and to be part of raising standards in boys’ soccer across the country. The platform will help us continue to develop top level players and championship teams, and to do so in a collaborative and professional development environment.”– Brandon Quaranta, Baltimore Celtic Director of Coaching

“Penn Fusion Soccer Academy is thrilled to be part of the inaugural season of the Boys ECNL. For the past several years our girls program has flourished as part of the league, competing on a national level with excellent exposure opportunities to college coaches. The focus of Penn Fusion has always been college placement and developing teams and individuals who play the game the right way; the Boys ECNL platform will allow us to do this on a club wide level, with a focus on structured league play and showcase events.”– Mark Thomas, Penn Fusion Soccer Academy Boys Director of Coaching

“Continental FC is excited to be a founding member of the Boys ECNL starting in the 2017-18 Season. Having been a founding member to the Girls ECNL in 2009, we have full confidence that the platform for the boys will be able to provide them the same opportunities that our girls currently receive. The competition format from conference play to National Events will give our players the ability to showcase not only themselves, but Continental FC across the country.”– Ged Quinn, Continental FC Director of Coaching

The Boys ECNL will include additional league programming to support and foster club development, coaching education, and player development. The Boys ECNL will be led by Directors of Coaching from its member clubs, using the same transparent and collaborative governance model empowering grass roots leaders that is used by the Girls ECNL.

Additional Boys ECNL Conferences will be announced in the coming weeks. More information will also be released about the format, structure, and qualifying process of the ENPL in the coming weeks. Please see www.boysecnl.com and www.usclubsoccer.org for more updates!

The Coed Academy is for players born in 2007, 2008, 2009 that would like to compliment their own team experience with an additional weekly practice. The sessions are run by professional coaches with experience working with young players. The sessions are designed to be fun with an emphasis on technical development and small sided games. The focus is on developing each players comfort, confidence and skills with the soccer ball.

CFC is one of the top premier soccer clubs in the country with over 25 college and US Soccer regional and national coaches on staff.

U. S. Soccer indicates it will announce in the near future, specific details, including a number of new initiatives and recommendations concerning the modification of substitution rules and limitations on heading the ball as well as a more comprehensive player safety campaign.

As outlined below, there are two distinct branches in nearly every area that work as "brother/sister" branches. At the younger ages, each branch has its own developmental program and Premier teams from U11-U13. At the U14 age, the United program begins for both boys and girls for the most talented and committed players in the club. The United Girls have two teams per age group and compete in the ECNL and NPL, while the boys program has one team that competes in the NEP League in Massachusetts.

For those that do not want to make the commitment involved with the United program, CFC offers State and Regional Level teams for the U14-U18 age groups. Based locally in the branch areas, the two branches closest to each other work together to form teams that will play in the Region I League and the Connecticut State Cup. If the demand is there, each branch may field separate teams from U14-U18, but there will always be a convenient place to play for players of all ability levels.

Whether your goal is to play soccer at the highest level in college, or stay sharp for your high school season, CFC offers something for everyone.